Station CKDA's Expansion Milestone in Owner's Career

     Expansion of radio station CKDA's broadcast facilities from 250 to 5,000 watts marks not only a significant point in the business life of the station, but is also a personal milestone in the career of the young owner-manager Dave Armstrong.  Dave is a Victoria born and educated man who left the Island in the early 1940's after getting his radio start at the city's original station CFCT.  He subsequently held responsible positions in production and sales in prominent prairie and B.C. stations.  His lifetime ambition was to have his own radio station.  "And it had to be in Victoria," says his father in a Scottish accent undulled by many years in Canada.

      Dave first applied for a radio station license in 1947 but was turned down by the CBC board of governors.  A subsequent application the next year was refused also, but a third in the fall of 1949 brought success and it was the initial step toward a second station in Victoria.  A feverish round of activity followed and within 3 months of the granting of a broadcast license CKDA went on the air.  At 6:00 in the morning, January 18, 1950, the first first programs were heard.  At 8:15 that night an impressive opening ceremony began with official greetings and comments from prominent government and business leaders. 

      Victoria MLA, Captain D. J. Proudfoot offered the opening remarks and was followed by other officials as well as famous stage, radio and screen stars.  After the initial flare of publicity and excitement, the small CKDA staff settled into a routine necessary to merit the confidence of Victoria as displayed on opening day.  In a scant 15 months, the station had captured the greater part of the local listening audience according to the official radio surveys of the Elliott-Haynes Research organization.  It has held that position without faltering since that time to become "Victoria's Most Listened to Station."

      Having gained the top position locally the next step was an expansion of power and facilities.  Despite vigorous oppositiion, Dave Armstrong was finally granted permission to boost the station's power to 5,000 watts.  The expansion necessitated a complete new lineup of transmission equipment and new transmitter site.  Chatham Island, off suburban Oak Bay, was chosen for its technical advantages to be the site of the new transmitter and towers.  Contractors and engineers went to work and 2 months later all construction and wiring was completed and signal readied to beam a powerful 5,000 voice from Vancouver Island. 

      The tremendous CKDA expansion has been a tribute not only to the energy of Dave Armstrong and the staff, but to the potential of B.C. and of Canada, where opportunities for youth remain unlimited.


Aug. 1, 1954  Victoria Colonist